Heavy Construction Equipment Made Simple

Posted on: 28 October 2018

Steel plates offer plenty of durability and weight resistance, making them a great choice for covering areas where temporary road and trench repairs are interrupting the road surface. If you're renting steel road plates rather than purchasing them for a project, you and your crew may not know the rules for safely lifting these plates that can weight thousands of pounds each. Follow these four tips to prevent injuries as you lift and move a steel road plate.

1. Use Lifting Tools

Each steel plate manufacturer offers a different kind of opening cut directly into the surface of the plate. Whether there is a square, half-moon, or D-shaped opening, these spaces all correspond to matching lifting tools that fit into the holes. The lifting tools connect directly to ropes and chains and heavy equipment so you can move the plate as needed. Since these lifting tools are designed to fit perfectly in the specific openings of the plate, work safety is dramatically improved due to a reduced chance of drops.

2. Designate a Clear Zone

Even when using proper techniques and lifting equipment, workers are at risk for injury in case the plate tips or falls. Crushing injuries can lead to lost fingers, toes, limbs, or even death. With the correct equipment, all workers can safely clear a few feet away from the plate at all times. The anchored lifting tools don't need direct contact from a worker to stay engaged during the lift. When no one's near the plate, injuries are impossible even if the plate slides or drops.

3. Consider Magnet Lifts

Sometimes bringing in a front-end loader or mini-crane just isn't feasible to move a steel plate around on a roadway. To safely move a large plate in a tight space, consider a portable magnet lift instead. Fixed lifts are capable of lifting up to 10,000 lbs at a time, so the smaller portable units can definitely lift the light steel plates used for road work.

4. Avoid Clamps

Finally, consider eliminating side clamps as a method for lifting steel road plates. Unless the clamps are reinforced and connected to prevent a drop, they can suddenly release while the plate is in the middle of moving. Open style clamps allow the plate to slide out if it tilts or bumps against something. Locking and insertable lift tools and matching receiving plates are far safer to use than any external or edge clamps when you're moving a large steel plate.

For more information, contact a company that offers steel plate sales.